Page 109 of Just a Heartbeat Away

She took a step back from him. And then another. Her eyes widened. “No.”

“Yes. All the way down to the copper embellishments. I know you like shiny things.”

“Seb.” She turned a complete circle, like she was lost, like she was looking desperately for answers in any corner of his workshop. “I can’t accept this.”

“They’re your belated birthday present. And of course you can.”

“Sebastian, people pay thousands of dollars for these, I can’t—”

“You’re notpeople, Via. You’re Via. You’re Violetta. Miss DeRosa.”

He was closing the distance between them and she was stock-still, her hands in her hair in the most harried gesture he’d ever seen her make.

“They’re so beautiful. They need a real home, Seb. Not my crappy apartment on Eighty-sixth.”

“You have a nice apartment. And it feels like a home. A little lonely, maybe. But these will help with that. And me and Matty and Crabby will be over all the time and that will help, too.”

“What did you say?”

“Which part?”

“Lonely.”

Her expression cracked and to Seb’s horror, she went from amazed at the gift to utterly broken all in the span of one word.

“Via.” She was in his arms and shaking.

“I am. I’m lonely. I’m so lonely. My aura is blue. Fin told me. It’s blue for lonely.” Her arms were between them. She was hugging herself and Seb was hugging her. He wished she’d put those arms around him.

“Via.”

“Seb, I was lonely even when I was with Evan. I can’t—oh God. I can’t do this. I can’t bring this into your lovely happy house where you sing Prince with your son and your happy-ass dog. And I can’t accept the gift.”

She was jogging toward the garage door, lifting it, and like a shot she was across the yard.

Seb went after her, locking the workshop up, because this was Brooklyn after all, and then he was through the house to her.

“Stop! Via. Wait.” He tossed himself in front of the front door, his arms outstretched. “Please wait.”

She had two stubborn streams of tears on her cheeks, and they damn near broke Seb’s heart as they caught the light in his dim hallway.

“Please wait,” he repeated.Before you do something you can’t undo.

She stared at him, her big down coat halfway zipped, her hair messy from her hands. And she just put her face in her hands and cried.

She was quiet and sweet, but the sobs racked her body. Seb did the only thing he could think to do. He led her into her favorite room of the house, the kitchen, and unzipped her coat. He tossed it aside, right onto the floor, and gave his own the same treatment. Seb hiked her up onto the counter and shucked off her boots, chucking them down the hall, like that would keep her from leaving. He left her just long enough to put a pot of water on to boil. And then he was back at her knees, spreading them and inserting himself into her space. His arms went around her and his hands worked up and down her spine, one and then the other, a hot constant band of reassurance. He enveloped her and soon her sobs subsided.

He could hear the water heating behind him. He wrenched open his pantry, pulled out chamomile tea, and then, on second thought, his emergency bottle of bourbon. He made a cup of tea and filled a shot glass with whiskey.

He set both beside Via. Looked at them. Took a swig of her tea, took the shot and refilled it. She laughed a little through her tears.

“Here.” He held up the tea. “And if you want it.” He held up the fresh shot.

She took it.

“Please, baby. Tell me. Tell me what’s happening.” His hands went all the way down her arms. She swallowed down some of the tea and took a deep breath.

“I’m scared.” Her voice was a whisper.

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